Stu Cowan: Didier Drogba practises with Impact again after digesting some humble pie

“I think it’s behind us," says Didier Drogba of his issues with the team's management. "Let’s focus on what’s next ... the game. You’re not going to hear some negativity about what happened, so please let’s try to be positive."Dave Sidaway / Montreal Gazette files

This has to be a humbling experience for someone with a world-class ego like Didier Drogba.

One of the biggest names in world soccer is no longer considered good enough to make the starting 11 with the Impact and the club is playing much better without him.

The 38-year-old striker practised for the first time in more than two weeks Tuesday at Centre Nutrilait as the Impact prepared for Game 2 of the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal series Sunday in New York against the Red Bulls (4 p.m., TSN, RDS, TSN Radio 690). The Impact won Game 1 by a 1-0 score Sunday at Saputo Stadium on a gorgeous goal by Matteo Mancosu, who has taken Drogba’s spot in the lineup. It was Mancosu’s third goal in two playoff games after scoring twice in a 4-2 knockout-round win over D.C. United.

Drogba somehow managed to injure his back after being left out of the starting 11 on Oct. 16 and Tuesday marked the first time he has practised with his teammates since then. Afterwards, Drogba met with the media for one of the few times this season.

“It’s a bit better, but not the best,” Drogba said about his back. “Not what I want.”

Even if Drogba says he’s healthy enough to play by Sunday, don’t look for him in the starting lineup. Coach Mauro Biello has put together a cohesive starting 11 that seems to really enjoy playing together and Mancosu and midfielder Ignacio Piatti have become a dynamic duo.

“I can’t change too much something that’s working well,” Biello said. “It’s about maybe tweaking it … maybe improving certain things in terms of our opposition and what we need to continue to improve on. In the end, we’re going to work every day and see how we can make our team better.”

The best way Drogba can make this team better now — if he’s healthy and fully committed — is to come off the bench with fresh legs to be a late scoring threat against tired defenders. But is he willing to do that?

“I’ve done that in my career even in Chelsea in the Champions League games,” said Drogba, who used to star for the English Premier League club and might have digested some humble pie over the last couple of weeks. “I started my career as a sub. So I don’t know why it should be difficult for me to be on the bench.”

It shouldn’t be — and Drogba owes it to his teammates who have battled so hard to get this far to be there if his coach still wants him on the 18-man roster.

“For me, it’s good news to have him available if he’s fine,” Biello said. “He’s obviously a guy that can score goals and a guy that has been in big moments and in big games and to have him available could only help the team. If he trains well and he has no problems, he’s going to be available.”

Impact president Joey Saputo said he felt “disrespected” after Drogba didn’t even show up at Saputo Stadium for the final home game. A couple of days later, Saputo said the situation had been resolved to the club’s satisfaction and “Didier has accepted to assume the role that the head coach sees fit while contributing to the success of this club moving forward.”

When asked Tuesday how his relationship is now with Biello, Drogba said: “You saw that we’re speaking. I think things have been said but, once again, I’m not that type of guy to bring everything back and forth again and again. We have to move forward and I want you please to move forward as well.

“I think it’s behind us,” Drogba added. “Let’s focus on what’s next … the game. You’re not going to hear some negativity about what happened, so please let’s try to be positive. If you want to carry on killing me, kill me. It’s fine. But don’t touch the team, don’t touch the club. Because we have an objective and we’re trying to do better than last year.”

Last year the Impact beat the Columbus Crew 2-1 at Saputo Stadium in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal before losing 2-1 in Game 2 on the road and then being eliminated in overtime. The Impact are facing a big challenge this time in New York, where the Red Bulls had a 13-2-2 record this season. The Impact have never won a game at Red Bull Arena, going 0-7-0 while being outscored 20-7.

“This is a big game and whether we play it in New York or on Mars or in Montreal, we got to be ready and that’s what the focus is going to be,” Biello said.

Drogba can still help the Impact if he really wants to and the coach still wants him on the bench.

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